BOMB CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 August 1932, Page 6

BOMB CASE

MAUNCER -CHARGED. * . CAPTAIN’S; EVIDENCE, . (Per Press Association — Copyright ) OHRISTCHUECH, August 10. At Lyttelton' t-o-day, George. Thunks Mauncer, aged 36, a chip’s officer,.waif charged with placibg a bomb on tilt steamer Rees : with intent to do boduy harm.'fo Captain Albert Baldwin Anderson.

Captain Anderson , gave evidence concerning the finding of the bomb' outside his Uabin. He 'shook it and it rattled. When opened, he saw r the explosive gelignite. ' Captain Anderson continuing said in February 1930 Mauncer 'was Chief Mate of the Tees. Captain Dowell wa-s and witness was .seconcTmate. Abouta month later Mauncer had some trouble with the crew at Tmaru and was disf: charged. Witness was . then appointed* Chief Mate and later on the resignation ;of,. Dowell' was appointed From the time Mauncer left -the Ship' up to August 5, Mauncer had' never threatened him. Mauncer had been a frequent visitor to the ship but bad never spoken to witness. Reginald Stanley Oakley, foreman of relief works at Lyttelton said some of the work done by the men required explosives. 'Nobel’s gelignite was used. Accused had been working on relief under ‘witness. Had Mauncer wished to obtain gelignite, Be would Bate adeems to the box where it >va|' KepG If half a plug were taken he would not jh-ave missed it.r There was between half and three parts of a plug of gelignite ih the "piece., produced. If it plodetf in' a person’s hand, there was sufficient force 'in ’fP tQ kill that person.

PLEA OF NOT GUILTY ENTERED. , PLACING OF BOMB ADMITTED. .;CHRISTCHURCH,' August 10. Detective Laugeson gave evidence that when- arrested, accused made a statement in which he said that he had! felt hurt - at. the way Anderson hid; acted .towards him, and at the way he talked about him; also, because /Anderson had discharged another member of the crew, Gibson, accused’s friend., , “All. this sort' of thing he had worked. He baa been getting the dirt in elf the time, and getting away with it,” continued the statement. “I got so' incensed that I decided to put the wind up him.” V Tiie statement went on to’ 'admit’ taking a piece of gelignite 'front 1 -a box at the .relief works, making a J bomb, and pil'acing it in. a tin; and' addressing it .to Captain. Anderson. ''/At--1 a-.m. on August .5, he put the par- ' cel ; on the Captain’s step near 0 his* cabin '■do with..it. He ..thought that' tf the bonfb 'uxthld.sSafe the Captain,“ butvfth was now sorry that’ he' had dime this, foolish thing. ' . ir / After hearing other evidence, Mauri-' cliiri pleaded not guilty and was eomrinitted. for trial.